North Carolina
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at C Street, North Carolina. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Sat, May 16: 1–2ft, 8s period, rated Poor. Slim pickings today — 1-2ft and poor with glassy conditions. Expect the wind to bump up to around 16mph by PM.
Sun, May 17: 1–2ft, 8s period, rated Poor. Slim pickings today — 1-2ft and poor with light winds out of the SSW. Afternoon breeze fills in to 17mph.
Mon, May 18: 1–2ft, 8s period, rated Poor. A slow one — 1-2ft waves and poor conditions with light winds out of the SW. Expect the wind to bump up to around 11mph by PM.
Tue, May 19: 1–2ft, 9s period, rated Poor. Pretty quiet out there — 1-2ft and mostly poor with glassy conditions. Afternoon breeze fills in to 9mph.
Wed, May 20: 1–2ft, 9s period, rated Poor. Slim pickings today — 1-2ft and poor with light SSW winds. Winds do pick up a bit by the afternoon to 14mph.
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C Street at Wrightsville Beach is southeastern North Carolina's surf hub — and one of the most crowded lineups on the East Coast. The beach break produces legitimately hollow, powerful waves that tube on solid S and SE swells, surprising visitors who expect mellow East Coast mush. Fall brings the best combo of swell and offshore winds, though UNCW students flood the lineup during the school year.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at C Street is 1-2ft with a 7.5s swell period. Wind is SSW at 4mph and conditions are rated Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at C Street is 1-2ft, produced by a 1.9ft SE primary swell at 8s, a 0.7ft SSW wind swell swell at 2s. Breaking wave height is the actual rideable wave size at the shore — calculated from offshore swell data using this spot's coastal bathymetry — not the raw buoy reading.
Based on the current 5-day forecast, the best window to surf C Street is Tuesday from 10 AM to 1 PM with 2ft waves, a 8.6s swell period, and conditions rated Poor. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
C Street works best with a SE swell and W winds. Offshore winds groom the face of the wave, while onshore winds turn it sloppy. Cross-offshore conditions usually produce the cleanest shape.
Tide plays a big role at C Street. Mid tide works for most beach breaks, while reef and point breaks often prefer higher or lower stages. Use the tide chart above to line up your session with the swell peak.
C Street is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. C Street at Wrightsville Beach is southeastern North Carolina's surf hub — and one of the most crowded lineups on the East Coast. The beach break produces legitimately hollow, powerful waves that tube on solid S and SE swells, surprising visitors who expect mellow East Coast mush. Fall brings the best combo of swell and offshore winds, though UNCW students flood the lineup during the school year.
The prime season at C Street is fall, when swell direction, wind patterns, and water temps line up most consistently. Outside the peak season you can still score, but you'll need to watch the forecast closely for the right windows.
Common hazards at C Street include extreme crowds, localism, strong currents on south swells, jellyfish, stingrays. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our C Street forecast uses NOAA GFS and other weather models combined with spot-specific bathymetry to calculate breaking wave heights. Short-range (1-3 day) forecasts are most reliable. Extended forecasts show general trends. See the forecast accuracy card above for per-spot and regional performance metrics.
